Lily's Story, by Rich Strader

Lily is the love and the light of my life. If you've ever had a special dog like Lily, then you will understand right away what I'm talking about.

Lily was born, raised and perhaps had 13 litters of puppies at the Reedgate Kennels before we were able to buy her at auction. Her time there was spent in a wire cage with a board to sleep on and a rabbit water bottle to drink from. While in the mill she received little or no vet care and because of this she lost all her teeth and her lower jaw rotted off, which is not unusual for the smaller breeds in the puppy mills. Everything that was precious to her was taken away (her puppies). The human hand brought only misery.

When she came to me I took her to work everyday and she slept in the warmth of my Irish Wolfhound's stomach. She slowly learned to trust and in seven months she would come to me to get on my lap!

Lily is my inspiration. She can teach anyone about love, courage and the ability to forgive. Unfortunately the cancer she aquired through years of neglect is now close to ending her life. I have promised her she will never be alone again and I will be with her at the end. To date she is responsible for saving over 7500 dogs as she is the inspiration and founder of National Mill Dog Rescue.

Lily died in my arms on May 13, 2008. She will always be missed.  

~ Rich Strader 

 

 

13 Year Old Writer is Passionate about National Mill Dog Rescue

The following was written by 13 year old Lauren Lee as a project for forensics, a middle school speech/drama program.  It's an Original Oratory, an event in which competitors deliver a persuasive speech on a subject they are very passionate about.  Lauren's involvement in the National Charity League influenced her decision; it's also how she first learned of National Mill Dog Rescue when she listened to a volunteer speak of NMDR's program.  Last December Lauren's family adopted Pumpkin, a timid puppy mill survivor.  Lauren says their 2 Brittany Spaniels, Brittany and Ginger, have taken Pumpkin under their wings and are showing her the ropes of being a "real" dog.   

 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

How much is that doggie in the window, the one with the waggly tail?  How much is that doggie in the window?  I do hope that doggie’s for sale.

Have you ever been to the mall and seen those cute little puppies playing in the pet store window?  Do you know where they came from though?  Do you know what their life was like or what their mother’s life was like?  That adorable little puppy probably came from a puppy mill.  In fact 99% of them do.

Imagine walking down a long corridor with stacks and stacks of wire cages.  Imprisoned inside of them are hundreds of terrified dogs; too scared to even look in your eyes.  It is here that these dogs covered in fleas and matted hairs spend every hour of every day.  The sadness and fear in their eyes doesn’t penetrate the hard and ruthless shells of the breeders.  When they look at the dogs, they don’t see the lack of veterinary care.  They overlook the look the decaying teeth and overgrown hair.  The rotting jaw of the dogs just happens to evade their glance.  In the end all they see in money, hundreds and hundreds of dollars.  They can’t even imagine them sitting at someone’s feet and being loved family pet.  They don’t see them as anything else then just a way to make money.  They just don’t understand.  This is what we commonly refer to as a puppy mill.  Basically it’s a large scale breeding facility that exists solely to maximize profits.  The dogs are bred their whole life until their worn out bodies can no longer produce puppies.

Lily was an Italian Greyhound rescued from a mill in Missouri.  The breeders just knew her as number 251.  She was bred for speed but ironically she would never be able to run.  Being caged her entire life rid her of the pleasure of having enough strength in her legs to.  She was one of several dogs whose lower jaw had rotted away.  Unfortunately this is a common situation because breeders do not provide water bowls for their dogs.  Instead they use hanging water bottles, which are used for rabbits and hamsters.  The dog’s teeth rot because these water bottles do not provide the amount of water a dogs needs to adequately clean their teeth.  The breeders didn’t notice that, all they noticed was her ability to produce puppies.  At the auction Lily, with a group of other dogs, sold for only $20.  After being rescued she suffered through 4 surgeries to remove tumors . Her adoptive family tried different foods to make it easier to eat with her jaw; however, she went back to eating like the way she learned at the mill.  Lily tossed her food on the ground and rubbed the “good” side of her face along the ground to pick up the kibble on her tongue then tossed it back in her mouth and swallowed it whole.  After being loved for only 15 months of her 8 year life, which is only half the life expectancy of an Italian Greyhound, Lily died on May 13, 2008.  It was Lily’s death that prompted Teresa Strader, Lily’s owner, to start the National Mill Dog Rescue in Peyton Colorado.  This facility is tucked away just east of Colorado Springs and is a haven for discarded breeding dogs.  Teresa works directly with the breeders and builds a trust relationship. “I don’t agree with what they are doing,” Teresa states, “I’m not going to tell them how to live their life, but, I’m more than willing to take any dogs that they are going to kill.”  National Mill Dog Rescue takes dogs breeders no longer want.  The dogs may not be able to produce puppies anymore, they might be old or sick, or the breeder may be going out of business.  Also, some dogs are too old to be sold to pet stores.  These dogs are brought to the rescue and given a name, not a number.  They are given a bath for probably the first time in their life.  They are provided veterinary care and are groomed, but most of all they are loved.  They know how hurtful hands can be, but they also learn that they can be gentle loving too. The goal of the NMDR is to find loving adoptive homes for these dogs which they have already done for more than 7,500 dogs.

Now the worst part about this is that it’s all completely legal. The minimum requirements for breeding are that a cage must give 6 inches of room on either side for the dog.  They also must have adequate vet care which is rarely enforced.  Most dogs in a mill have never seen a veterinarian in their life.  These rules are supposed to be enforced by the USDA, the United States Department of Agriculture, which is responsible for overseeing the care of cows, horses, sheep and other livestock, which apparently includes dogs.  The law refers to dogs as mere livestock.  The overworked inspectors are lenient with the breeders and rarely report the inhumane breeding conditions.  There are only 82 inspectors responsible for inspecting all of the 10,000 commercial dog breeding kennels in the US.  Unfortunately, most attempts to legislate more humane conditions for dog breeders have been unsuccessful due to strong lobbying efforts by agricultural groups.

What do you think they do with the dogs after they can’t produce puppies anymore?  Sure some might be sold at an auction but that is just to other breeders who try to get one last litter from them.  Most breeders say that they try to find “good, loving homes” for their dogs, but that is not true.  If a breeder doesn’t even give a dog vet care, do you think they are going to go out and find a nice home for their castaway dogs?  They often just kill them.  Sometimes they are bashed in the head by a rock, or simply shot.  Others are drowned and others are asphyxiated.  Breeders have incinerators in the middle of their property that they don’t even try to hide.  

Only a few dogs are lucky enough to be picked up by the National Mill Dog Rescue.  One of those dogs was Ziva.  Ziva spent her life producing puppies until she was rescued.  She was quiet and had a sweet temperament but there was one little thing, she was missing her two back feet.  They were chewed off by her mom when she was born.  Because of the conditions in which they live, the moms do not know how to care for their puppies. Ziva was bred for 6 years like this, without hind feet.  Where do they stop?  What is not okay to these breeders?  When Ziva was picked up in Kansas the breeder handled her so carelessly, shoving her in the cage so fast it closed on her stumps for legs.  To get around Ziva would walk balancing on her two front feet.  I met Ziva at the NMDR and everything about her was just so gentle and kind.  She hobbled over and licked my hand.  You would never have thought after living in such tragic conditions her whole life she would be so.  Unfortunately, after only 5 days of freedom, Ziva died of heartworm disease, a condition common to mill dogs, but completely preventable.

The best way to stop this cruelty is to stop buying pets or pet supplies from stores that sell puppies for profit.  Unlike these stores, Petco and Petsmart don’t sell dogs and the pets you see in front of their stores are from nonprofit shelter and rescue organizations.  When getting a dog, consider adopting from the Humane Society, a shelter, or a responsible breeder.  Believe it or not, they do exist.  The best way to know if they are reputable is to visit their property and ask numerous questions.

Ziva’s life will not be in vain.  Lily’s life will not be in vain. Their stories have brought national attention to the fate of mill dogs.  Are we going to pretend that this isn’t a problem?  Who will speak for these dogs if we don’t?  If not us, then who?  It is time for this to stop.  It is time to expose the irresponsible breeders for who they really are.  It’s time we released the innocent prisons of greed.

~ Lauren Lee, 13 years old

Ivey's Update - Safer, Brave and Happy!

Thank you to everyone who helped in this effort... Ivey's service dog is now in training!

If you missed the story, please click here to read about Ivey.

 

 

Gigi - Rest in Peace Sweet Angel

4-23-13 Update

I know there are people literally all over the world with love and concern for our little Gigi girl. Yesterday was a tough day for those of us who are dealing closely with her care. Gigi arrived home to Colorado at 5am yesterday morning and her foster mom, Linda, had her to the vet clinic at 9am.

After the initial exam, Dr. Pansiera called me to discuss her findings. The picture was quite grim as Gigi is suffering from so many significant health issues: a bulging right eye that appears to have something behind it pushing it forward, severe dental disease with every root and nerve exposed on all her remaining teeth and abscesses throughout her entire mouth, multiple “angry” mammary tumors indicative of active and spreading cancer, a grade 3 heart murmur with an arrhythmia, her ears were completely infected including ear mites and when Gigi is on her feet, she continuously circles to the right. Overall, she is described as weak and emotionally distant.

We went ahead and did bloodwork and xrays and although the bloodwork was fairly normal, the chest xray revealed a “mass” in her chest, very likely to be metastatic cancer. I spoke at length with the vet, hoping that she would agree that if we could at least get the dental done, perhaps Gigi could have some time in her home where she would be comfortable while being showered with love and kindness. Although she made it very clear that the risk of dying under anesthesia was very big, we agreed that we would go forth with the dental on Tuesday in an attempt to alleviate the severe pain in her mouth.

However, at the end of our work days yesterday, I called Dr. Pansiera to check on Gigi one last time for the night. I could tell in her first word that she was deeply concerned. She told me that the decision we had made earlier had been weighing very heavily on her the entire day. She said she was certain that Gigi’s body was “riddled with cancer” and that although, just like us, she wanted so desperately to give her some quality time to experience love and kindness, she felt going forth with surgery was not only extremely risky, but simply was not in the best interest of Gigi. I fully understood and although it left a huge lump in my throat, our greatest promise to every dog we rescue is to become their voice and to act in the interest of what we know is kind and right for them.

Gigi will make her way to the bridge today, with several of us who were involved in bringing her home at her side. I cannot express how much I wish we could have had a different outcome, even for a short time. But sometimes we just have to know that the greatest gift we can give our dogs is the gift of letting them go.

Many thanks to all of you for your love and concern. Gigi will be home soon and no longer suffering. She will know that she was loved, I promise you that.

~ Theresa Strader

For those of you who missed the earlier postings about Gigi - they can be viewed at the following links on our facebook page:

Sunday, April 21st

Monday, April 22nd

 

 

Dobby Gets A New Collar!

A package arrived at our kennel a few days ago and in it was a very special gift for Dobby, an Italian Greyhound we rescued from a puppy mill earlier this year.  Dobby's "admirer" wasn't able to adopt him, but wanted to do something special for the dog she fell in love with from afar.  The photos below tell the rest of the story.

Click here to learn more about Dobby.

 

Ivey Needs a Service Dog - A Letter From Theresa Strader

The following letter was written by Theresa Strader, National Mill Dog Rescue's founder.  Not only does Theresa devote a majority of her spare time to rescuing puppy mill dogs, she has also spent the last 25 years as a pediatric nurse, specializing in the field of Pediatric Oncology.

Ivey and Theresa

Hello friends of National Mill Dog Rescue,

As some of you know, in addition to my duties with NMDR, I also work my longstanding job in pediatric nursing. Several years ago, when the responsibilities of NMDR began to take over much of my time, I was forced to back away from hospital nursing and take a job in home healthcare. Was I ever lucky to meet the family whose three medically fragile adopted children I care for. Their selfless way of life is an inspiration to me every day.

In addition to my three patients, there is another very special member of this family - their granddaughter, Ivey, a beautiful 7 year-old girl who was born with Spinabifida. On my workdays, Ivey is my sidekick, my nurse’s aide, my little friend. She adores dogs every bit as much as I do and we often browse the NMDR website and talk about all the new dogs that have arrived. Ivey is such a special little girl.

Despite her many challenges, Ivey is so brave, always willing to try something new and give it her very best. As she grows though, her balance increasingly wavers and often she must use her wheelchair to keep from falling and possibly injuring herself.

Recently, Ivey’s family learned of an organization that specializes in providing service dogs for young children. Ivey’s dog would help her specifically with balance and stability but also to promote her confidence and help her to feel safe and secure. She is so incredibly excited about getting a service dog, she talks about it absolutely all the time.

The organization requires that Ivey’s family raise about half the amount of money ($13,000) it takes for them to raise and train the dog. Quite honestly, I struggled with whether or not I should post this in this arena as it is unrelated to our mission. However, because Ivey is so special to me and witnessing her struggle more and more as she grows has been so devastating, I decided to go ahead with this posting. I hope each of you understands.

If you want to learn more about helping Ivey’s family achieve this goal, please visit this website to learn more about Ivey and the 4 Paws for Ability program: www.servicedogforivey.com

On March 29, 2013 FOX TV in Colorado Springs also did a short piece to encourage people locally to help as well. Here is a link to that story: http://tinyurl.com/servicedogforivey.  Ivey's story is also on youtube:

I am very grateful for your taking the time to read about my little friend Ivey. I will post an update once Ivey and her service dog have been united, hopefully later this year. Thank you all so much.

Sincerely,
Theresa Strader

Little Guy

The following beautiful story was written by Pam Van Horn, the mother of "Little Guy".

  

In a span of four years, I lost two poodles to grave, slow illnesses: Cowboy first and then Anjolie. Both were those kinds of dogs who were so present and communicative that if you took them to a party, upon entering, you would have thought Beyonce was in the house—that’s how amazing they were. When Anjie died after Cowboy, I said that I would never live without a poodle. I had been introduced to National Mill Dog Rescue, so I went to the “available dogs” page and saw “Ben". He was a physical blend of Cowboy and Anjie. I went through the application and home check procedures and then met his foster mom. She brought along Jerry with Ben. Jerry was a super cute puppy; Ben was almost catatonic - he would not interact in any normal way a dog should. The foster told me that he had been to adoption fairs and had zero interest. I knew Jerry would find a great family (and indeed he did the next day). Even though I couldn’t connect with Ben in that moment, I knew he was MY little guy. I knew we had a journey to travel.

Mill dogs are like perpetual puppies. They don’t know simple pleasures like grass under their feet. Stairs are such an obstacle. Forever, there might be that scary dog in the water dish, which is his own reflection; forever, the sound of footsteps on gravel might prove terrifying; forever, holding anything in your hand when you go to pick them up could prove menacing to a mill dog. BUT the world of a mill dog is a world of discovery. Watching them grow attuned to kindness in touch, voice, and gesture is so rewarding on both ends.

My little guy didn’t let me pick him up for about a month - until I figured out how to make him comfortable in doing so and the regimen continues. It took six months for him to look me in the eye - one day I felt eyes on me, and they were his. My little guy is quiet, but after three years, he knows how to tell me what he wants me to know. We’re pretty tied in to each other.  I wish someone would come in at bedtime and take a picture of him and me, of me and the little dog who was almost catatonic when I welcomed him into my life. I make a nest for us with covers and he works himself in, positioning himself so that his little heart will beat against mine all night long, my arms around him, him snorting and snoring sometimes even louder than I do.

He is formally known as Little Guy. He and I have his special name uttered only between us. But he responds to Little Guy because I think he gets why I gave him that name. The mills are full. A few get evacuated by efforts like those of National Mill Dog Rescue. In the mill, he was anonymous; he was a number. On the other side of the mill, he wasn’t one to adjust readily. His has been a life of invisibility as is the life of the vast majority of mill dogs. He knows his name. Little Guy is a tribute to that invisibility.

So I could have chosen a JustinTimberlake that day in Jerry, but I chose Ben: stoic, quiet, and scared. I embrace the Universe’s lesson that I had to learn. I chose the Little Guy. I don’t want “easy” where dogs are concerned.  Their hearts are too pure and resilient. That is the lesson I want to learn. And that has made all the difference.

____________________ 

Pam Van Horn is now a volunteer for National Mill Dog Rescue.  She helps at adoption fairs and works with groups visiting our kennel, Lily's Haven.

Update on Tootles!

Tootles greeting her foster-mom after being discharged from the hospital.

It's been 2 weeks since the surgery and Tootles is once again making her foster mom laugh as she runs and plays, and twirls for her food at dinnertime.  Tootles successfully underwent liver shunt surgery on March 6th, a few days later she was allowed to go home but with activity restrictions for 10 days - not easy for a playful pup! 

Tootles' foster mom says, "When we were at the 2 week checkup this week, Tootles jumped around the room, chased her tail, grabbed my pants and pulled on them and had the vets and techs laughing.   She is a little pistol and I’m so grateful she can play and have fun now. I didn’t realize how much I was having to hold onto her to prevent her from being active during the past 2 weeks!"

A liver shunt is a blood vessel that carries blood around the liver instead of through it.  In Tootles case this is a birth defect.  It will now take several weeks for the blood vessel to close and meanwhile Tootles will receive medication.  If all goes well, and it should, Tootles will lead a normal and healthy life.

If you missed Tootle's story please read about her here.   

One of our greatest prides at National Mill Dog Rescue is giving every dog we rescue the very best chance possible for a happy and healthy life and our supporters play a huge role in making that happen.  Your donations made it possible for Tootles to have surgery.  We cannot thank you enough!

Dr. Cavanaugh, Tootles' surgeon and his assistant, Tammy.

Tootles in the oxygen tent.

Tootles in the oxygen tent bossing everyone around as usual!

Tootles with Dr. Wagner while she explains the surgery.

Tootles with Tammy, Dr. Cavanaugh's assistant.

Dr. Powers discharges Tootles.

 

A Mama and Her Puppies, Valentine's Story

When we rescued Valentine, an English Toy Spaniel, from the puppy mill she was very pregnant.  She was immediately placed in a foster home where she would have comfort, kindness and privacy where her babies could be born.  On March 9th she delivered 4 precious pups, but became very ill and was rushed to the emergency veterinary clinic.  Valentine's uterus has ruptured in 3 places and she needed emergency surgery, plus her abdominal cavity had become very infected which very nearly killed her.  Because of her poor condition and uncertain prognosis Valentine remained at the vet hospital and all the volunteers at National Mill Dog Rescue worried and prayed for her. 

The prayers paid off and after a week in the hospital Valentine was released to her foster home.  She is now eating chicken and rice and recovering nicely.  Valentine is a survivor - and we couldn't be happier.

Valentine's puppies were put with a surrogate mom; a Chihuahua we rescued from a puppy mill, also pregnant at the time, who just finished weaning her pups.  "Madre" lovingly accepted Valentine's pups and is taking great care of them.  With the help of some supplemental bottle feeding all are happy, healthy and thriving.

What is the cause of Valentine's ruptured uterus?  Most likely it was because repeated cesareans had weakened the uterus wall.  Had Valentine not been rescued from the puppy mill, she would not be here today. 

One of our greatest prides at National Mill Dog Rescue is giving every dog we rescue the very best chance possible for a happy and healthy life, and we spare no expense to make sure they get the best medical treatment possible.  Puppy mill survivors sometimes require costly treatment and surgery for a variety of reasons as they've never received medical care during their lives as breeding dogs.  Extensive dental disease must be treated, this is most common.  Some dogs are heartworm positive, females might have mammary tumors, eye and skin conditions are common, plus there are a variety of other preventable health issues.  

We reply solely on donations to pay the medical bills and we are grateful to everyone who contributes by either donating or spreading the word.  YOU are the reason Valentine and her puppies are alive today.  Thank you!    

How to donate: click here 
Other ways you can help: click here 

Madre with the pups she just weaned, plus Valentine's 4 puppies.

This was Valentine when she was first rescued.

Too Damaged?

Windy spent 13 years living in a cage, having litter after litter of puppies, fearing humans and suffering with a mammary tumor the size of a hot water bottle -  until we rescued her in June 2011.  Read an earlier blog post about her: http://nationalmilldogrescue.blogspot.com/2011/07/old-soul-with-short-term-wish.html 

Recently we received the following story and update about Windy, now Olive, written by her mom.  Enjoy!


So I saw a lot of posts from my friend a number of months back about some group called National Mill Dog Rescue. Being a dog lover I looked through their page and of course was moved by all of these precious dogs.  Through my life I have had so many loving pups in all different sizes, colors, and breeds.  I have adored each one and they each have their own place in my heart.

I was browsing through the available dogs pictures on NMDR’s site and my eyes fell upon an itty bitty Iggie named Windy.  Her eyes were the eyes of my very beloved rescued ex-racing greyhound that I had lost to cancer.  I stared at Windy and then left the page... after all I have 2 dogs and I am helping watch my daughters dog and cat, surely there is no more room!

Every day I would go in to see if this lil 14 year old Windy had found her forever home, and each day there she was looking back at me with those sad empty eyes just as my greyhound had the day we brought him home.

"Okay, okay" I said, "I will adopt this lil girl."  After all she deserved to have her own family before she leaves this world that had been so cruel to her prior to being rescued by NMDR.  Some people said,  “Wow, you really won’t have much time to bond with her, she’s pretty old and you know you get attached.”  I said, “No, it’s not like that.  This lil girl is way to damaged in life to bond, I just want her to have a soft bed and a sweet place to live.  I will take the best care of her but I do not expect anything back.”

She came to us and we named her Olive.  She was so timid, she wouldn’t come near me.  She watched my every move so that she could maneuver away when necessary.  She was very sweet, but only felt safe on her new bed.  She favored our old doxie, but it was what I expected - too "damaged" for real bonding.  I would make sure she was cared for.  But then something strange started happening.  I would leave the room and look behind me and see her peeking around the corner.  I would turn back and she would run to her bed.  I thought, “That’s cute.”  Then she started coming into the kitchen when I was cooking, keeping her distance but watching with those eyes.  It made me smile.  Then she started coming up and into her pack family when it was treat time - she wanted to be near them and strangely, near to me as well.  Too damaged??  It made me feel so happy for her.  Then one day I was sitting on the floor and I put my hand out to her, like I have a zillion times before, but this time she came to me and licked my hand.  My eyes welled up with tears and as I looked at her, she wagged her lil pretty much hairless tail at me.  I looked into those eyes and she told me "Yes, I am very damaged, but look again because I am in here."  Too damaged to bond?  NO, NOT TRUE AT ALL!

One day she ran outside and played with her pack family, then she stopped, she sat down, she closed her eyes and raised her head to the sky and just felt the warm sun and light breeze - and at that moment, the door to my heart opened wide and she ran in!  I adore her as much as any person can.  No different if I had gotten her when she was 8 weeks old or 14 years old.  She's my precious lil girl and I think she’s beautiful in every way. I love how her tongue hangs out.  I love her wrinkled neck.  Her once broken tail.  Her scars.  She’s beautiful.

Don’t get me wrong - when I go to pick her up, she hides her face and falls down in horror.  When I go to her and the other dogs out of the big kennel she is jumping and barking... until the door opens and she automatically runs to the back corner and hides her face and shakes.  I crawl in and talk to her then bring her out and then she looks at me as if to say, “Oh!  Hi Mommy.  I didn’t know it was you.”  But she also loves to snuggle with her brother and sisters, and she falls asleep in my arms now, and puts up with me washing her face and putting a special lotion on her dry skin.

What I have learned is that a dog can forgive, can love, and when I see her lil tail wagging at me, I know that I was the one rescued here and I absolutely adore and love her more than I ever, ever thought I could.  She’s not so damaged, she’s perfect!

Little Tootles Needs Your Help

When our rescue team traveled through Missouri one of the dogs they were to pick up was a tiny 3lb Maltese named Tootles.  Our team warned the volunteers at the kennel that Tootles was on her way and to be prepared as she required a staff of 6 to meet her demands.  You see, Tootles immediately forgot she was born in a puppy mill.  She immediately became a lap dog that (initially) would only eat deli meat and cottage cheese.  We met her demands not only because she was so darn cute, but also because she was very sick.

At only 9 months old she appeared pregnant because her belly was so full of fluids.  Her front legs bow outward like a bulldog, she has rear luxating patellas, her eyes look as if they are different sizes because one of missing the pigment that would normally surround it.  She suffered from mange and her hair was terribly thin.  There was a swollen gland on the side of her neck, her eye lashes were growing into her eyes and her teeth were a nightmare.

We immediately took care of Tootles medical needs which involved a variety of tests, treatments and medications.  We also taught Tootles to eat healthy food.  She was then put in a very special home – with a foster mom that had the “fortitude” to handle this odd little dog with such a big personality!

Sadly, a month ago Tootles quit playing, she also couldn’t hold her food down.  She started peeing more than normal and was found to have a urinary tract infection. She had crystals in her urine and blood work also revealed that something was wrong with her liver.  She started having nights when she would pace the entire night trying to find a spot where she would be comfortable.  Her foster mom would stay up with her.  Another trip to the vet included an ultrasound and a bile acid test and they revealed she has a liver shunt.

The presence of a liver shunt in your pet means the blood flow to and through the liver is compromised.  All liver shunts, whether mild or severe, are considered serious and life threatening.  Toxins of ammonia build in their system because the liver isn’t able to do its job.  The liver also is small due to the lack of blood flow and it will continue to fail without surgery.
  
We’ve spent more than $1000 on tests and treatments for Tootles so far and the estimated cost of the surgery is $4000.  On Thursday, Feb 21st, Tootles goes in for a surgical evaluation and we will know more at that time. 

Please, we ask for your help.  One of our greatest prides at National Mill Dog Rescue is giving every dog we rescue the very best chance possible for a happy and healthy life and our fans play a huge role in making that happen. Please consider a donation if at all possible to help Tootles.  We will keep you updated regularly on her progress.  Many thanks to our fans who are always here with us in spirit and whose support allows us to make life-saving decisions for our dogs. 

Please CLICK HERE to donate

Thank you so much!

Please CLICK HERE to donate
Thank you so much!

From Cinco to Ace

 

In the card game of life, the odds can seem against you from the beginning.  That’s how things seemed for Cinco.  This charming black lab mix was one of a litter of five puppies set to be destroyed.  He was also born with a unique handicap – five legs instead of four.  His two hind legs were normal.  One front leg was short and deformed, but functional for balance.  The other front leg consisted of a normal sized leg around which was wrapped yet another leg.  Locomotion was difficult and time-consuming for the frisky puppy. Cinco was repeatedly picked-on by his litter mates due to his small size and difficulty maneuvering.

 

The puppies were rescued and Cinco was brought to his foster home, smelly, dirty and scared.  A visit to a vet confirmed that Cinco would need surgery to amputate his dysfunctional, encumbered front leg.  A week of observation by the vet allowed him to observe that Cinco probably could walk much more effectively after this operation.

A visit from Cinco’s rescuer and her daughter showed that Cinco appreciated what had been done for him.  He looked small and helpless stretched out on the recovery table.  When Kylee, Marsha’s 12 year old daughter reached to pet him and speak to him, he tried very hard to respond, by opening his eyes.  Marsha and Kylee were smitten.  The next visit resulted in a happy Cinco bounding out with an orange teddy bear in his mouth.  The deal was sealed.  Cinco became "Ace" and had found his forever home.

Ace has become a valued member of his new family.  He is still a bit awkward, running better than he walks.  He enjoys his pack and his visits to doggie day care.  Training is coming along well.  Ace’s future may hold hospital visitations where his winning ways can inspire others.

 

 

Rosy

Meet Roseann, a 7 year old English Bulldog and one of our newest arrivals.  Rosy, as we are calling her, arrived Friday and was immediately rushed to the veterinarian as she was unable to move on her own.  She was diagnosed with painful untreated ear, eye, tail, and c-section surgery infections, and severe spondylosis which is a painful deformity of the vertebrae, and is 25 lbs overweight.  

In this condition, Rosy delivered puppies approximately 8 weeks ago.  Those puppies are probably for sale in pet stores or online today.

 

Besides providing the medical care that Rosy so desperately needed, our volunteers have been working to hand-feed her and use syringes to make sure she gets enough water.  She is starting to perk up and has an interest in her food, and after 7 years of living in a cage and sleeping on a wire floor, Rosy really loves her big, fluffy comforter!

Please keep Rosy in your thoughts during her journey to become the happy and healthy girl she deserves to be.